Come Back to Me by Jenna Avery

Author:Jenna Avery [Avery, Jenna]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Good Soup Publishing
Published: 2022-11-23T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter Fifteen

T

he smell of horse shit was an unexpectedly nostalgic perfume. Adeline took a big whiff of the fresh air as she crept along the dirt driveway. Gravel crunched under her tires and spat up into the air. The afternoon was bright, the sky full of cotton candy clouds. Adeline had spent the morning painting before sliding on a pair of jeans and brand-new boots, and headed out to ride with Kennedi.

The smell yanked up a memory of her mom, from the days when they rode together at a nearby barn. Before her mom died, Adeline had ridden in cross-country competitions. Sometimes, Kennedi had joined them. So, when Kennedi invited her to come ride, Adeline had to stop herself from squealing with elation.

A quick fifteen-minute drive in Mags’s truck, Adeline’s excitement mounted with each passing mile. She passed the large iron gate and began to wiggle her hips impatiently. The winding driveway led to a thirty-acre ranch and was shouldered by tall, lush oak trees that bowed toward the road. Beyond the oaks, white wooden fences swept into the distance, the vibrant green grass speckled with grazing horses. She slung her arm out the window and felt the light breeze dance through her fingers. The scent of sweet grass brought a smile to her face.

The long driveway ended in front of a barn, white with red trim. Horses popped their heads out of windows and a ranch hand wheeled out a wheelbarrow full of dirty shavings.

Kennedi waved from crossties installed in the side of the barn, tacking up an almost-white palomino mare. Adeline turned off the engine.

“Glad you found it!” Kennedi turned back to the horse, cinching its girth to a pale brown western saddle. Next to the palomino was a blood bay chewing on a crosstie. Adeline laughed.

“Wasn’t too hard. Hope I’m wearing the right stuff.”

Kennedi inspected the jeans and boots with a nod of approval. It matched her own outfit, though she also wore half-chaps. Adeline rolled up the sleeves of her dark blue long-sleeve shirt, enjoying the feel of the sunshine on her still-pale skin. These last few weeks, she’d experienced more sunshine than she had in a long time, but she still remained closer to the color of the pale palomino.

Kennedi reached for a bridle and began to unhook the halter. The mare politely opened her mouth. Kennedi patted the horse’s neck. “This is Sandy. She’ll be your ride. I’m over on Rebellion, although we call her Rebby, so as to not encourage more mare bullshit.”

The blood bay shook her head impatiently. With a final look over the saddle, Kennedi handed Adeline the reins. “Do you remember how to ride?”

Adeline smiled uncertainly. “Like riding a bike, right?”

Kennedi chuckled and walked over to Rebby. She grabbed the nearby bridle. As Rebby avoided the bit, Kennedi said, “Sandy is a push-button, so you’ll be fine.” She glared at Rebby. “Unlike this bitch. Reb, quit being a twat and accept your fate.”

While Kennedi and Rebby argued, Adeline walked Sandy over to a mounting block.

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